snuffle
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C2 verb /ˈsnʌfəl/

snuffle

respirer bruyamment par le nez
Meaning
to breathe noisily through the nose, often because of crying or a cold
Example
The child began to snuffle after crying for a long time.
L'enfant a commencé à respirer bruyamment par le nez après avoir pleuré longtemps.
C2 noun /ˌsɪləbɪˈkeɪʃən/

syllabication

syllabation
Meaning
The division of words into syllables.
Example
Proper syllabication helps in correct pronunciation.
Une bonne syllabation aide à une prononciation correcte.
C2 adjective /ˈsɛpərəbəl/

separable

séparable
Meaning
Capable of being separated or divided.
Example
The two issues are separable and should be discussed independently.
Les deux problèmes sont séparables et doivent être discutés indépendamment.
C2 noun /ˈswɑːvɪti/

suavity

douceur et charme
Meaning
smoothness and charm in manner
Example
His suavity made him popular in social gatherings.
Sa douceur et son charme le rendaient populaire dans les rassemblements sociaux.
C2 noun /ˈstiː.vəˌdɔːr/

stevedore

dockeur
Meaning
A person employed to load and unload cargo from ships.
Example
The stevedores worked tirelessly to unload the cargo before dawn.
Les dockeurs ont travaillé sans relâche pour décharger la cargaison avant l'aube.
C2 noun /ˈskɔːrpiən fɪʃ/

Scorpion fish

poisson-scorpion
Meaning
a type of fish with venomous spines that belongs to the family Scorpaenidae
Example
The scorpion fish has dangerous spines that can inject venom.
Le poisson-scorpion a des épines dangereuses qui peuvent injecter du venin.
C2 verb /ˈsʌn.dər/

sunder

séparer
Meaning
To split apart or separate, especially with force.
Example
The war sundered families and friends.
La guerre a séparé des familles et des amis.
C2 verb /seɪt/

sate

satisfaire
Meaning
To satisfy fully or to excess.
Example
The huge meal sated their hunger after the long journey.
Le gros repas a satisfait leur faim après le long voyage.
C2 verb /ˈsʌbdʒʊˌɡeɪt/

subjugate

soumettre
Meaning
To bring under domination or control, especially by conquest.
Example
The empire sought to subjugate the neighboring kingdoms.
L'empire a cherché à soumettre les royaumes voisins.
C2 noun /səˈvɑːnt/

savant

bonheur
Meaning
a learned person, especially a distinguished scientist or scholar; sometimes used in the phrase ‘savant syndrome’ for someone with exceptional abilities alongside developmental differences
Example
The conference keynote was delivered by a linguistic savant who studies endangered languages.
Elle ne pouvait cacher sa bonheur lorsqu'elle a reçu le prix.
C2 noun /sɛnˈsɔːrɪəm/

sensorium

centre sensoriel
Meaning
The part of the brain or mind concerned with the reception and interpretation of sensory stimuli.
Example
The patient’s sensorium was clouded after the accident.
Le sensorium du patient était brouillé après l'accident.
C2 adjective /sʌbˈlɪŋɡwəl/

sublingual

sublingual
Meaning
situated or applied under the tongue
Example
The doctor prescribed a sublingual tablet for faster absorption.
Le médecin a prescrit un comprimé sublingual pour une absorption plus rapide.
C2 adjective /ˈsætərˌnaɪn/

saturnine

saturnien
Meaning
slow and gloomy in mood
Example
His saturnine expression made everyone in the room uncomfortable.
Son expression saturnienne rendait tout le monde dans la pièce mal à l'aise.
C2 verb /səˈbɔːrn/

suborn

suborner
Meaning
to bribe or induce someone unlawfully to perform an act, especially to commit perjury
Example
The lawyer was accused of trying to suborn a witness.
L'avocat a été accusé d'avoir tenté de suborner un témoin.
C2 verb /sʌbˈtɛnd/

subtend

sous-tendre
Meaning
To extend across or form an angle at a particular point, often used in geometry.
Example
The arc subtends a 60-degree angle at the center of the circle.
L'arc sous-tend un angle de 60 degrés au centre du cercle.
C2 adjective /ˈstɜːr.tər.əs/

stertorous

ronflement bruyant
Meaning
Characterized by heavy snoring or breathing.
Example
The patient’s stertorous breathing alarmed the nurses.
La respiration stertoreuse du patient a alarmé les infirmières.
C2 adjective /səˈleɪʃəs/

salacious

lascif
Meaning
Having or conveying undue or inappropriate sexual interest.
Example
The tabloid published a salacious story about the celebrity.
Le tabloïd a publié une histoire lascive sur la célébrité.
C2 noun /ˈsaɪz.mə.ɡræf/

seismograph

sismographe
Meaning
An instrument that measures and records details of earthquakes, such as force and duration.
Example
The seismograph detected a strong tremor in the area.
Le sismographe a détecté une forte secousse dans la région.
C2 noun /sʌbˈɔːl.tən/

subaltern

une personne occupant une position subordonnée; dans l'armée, un officier subalterne
Meaning
A person holding a subordinate position; in the military, a junior officer.
Example
The subaltern was responsible for leading a small platoon of soldiers.
Le subalterne était responsable de la direction d'un petit peloton de soldats.
C2 noun /ˈsteɪsɪs/ or /ˈstæsɪs/

stasis

stase
Meaning
A state of inactivity or equilibrium; a situation where nothing changes.
Example
The negotiations reached a state of stasis with no progress made.
Les négociations ont atteint un état de stase sans progrès.
C2 adjective /ˈsæŋɡwɪˌnɛri/

sanguinary

sanglant
Meaning
Involving or causing much bloodshed; bloodthirsty.
Example
The battle was one of the most sanguinary conflicts of the war.
La bataille a été l'un des conflits les plus sanglants de la guerre.
C2 noun /skriːd/

screed

écrit long et ennuyeux
Meaning
a long, tedious piece of writing or speech; also a layer of material like cement spread on a surface
Example
He delivered a long screed against corruption.
Il a livré un long discours contre la corruption.
C2 verb /ˈsæŋktɪfaɪ/

sanctify

sanctifier
Meaning
to make holy or sacred; to purify
Example
The priest will sanctify the marriage ceremony.
Le prêtre sanctifiera la cérémonie de mariage.
C2 verb /ˌsuːpərˈæd/

superadd

superajouter
Meaning
to add something to what has already been added
Example
The author chose to superadd a new chapter to the revised edition.
L'auteur a choisi de superajouter un nouveau chapitre à l'édition révisée.
C2 adjective /ˌsɒfəˈmɒrɪk/

sophomoric

immature
Meaning
showing immaturity and overconfidence, like a sophomore
Example
His sophomoric behavior embarrassed his friends.
Son comportement immature a embarrassé ses amis.
C2 adjective /spɪk/

Spick

extrêmement propre et ordonné; immaculé
Meaning
extremely clean and neat; immaculate
Example
The house was spick and span after the cleaning.
La maison était parfaitement propre et ordonnée après le nettoyage.
C2 adjective /ˈsfɪŋks laɪk/

sphinx-like

mystérieux
Meaning
Mysterious, enigmatic, or difficult to interpret
Example
Her sphinx-like smile made it hard to guess what she was thinking.
Son sourire sphinx-like rendait difficile de deviner ce qu'elle pensait.
C2 adjective /ˌsɛm.iˈkɒn.ʃəs/

semiconscious

semi-conscient
Meaning
Only partly conscious; not fully aware of surroundings.
Example
He was semiconscious after the accident and could barely respond.
Il était semi-conscient après l'accident et pouvait à peine répondre.
C2 noun /ʃiːt fɪʃ/

Sheat-fish

silure
Meaning
A large freshwater catfish with a broad flat head and long barbels
Example
The sheat-fish is one of the largest freshwater fish in South Asia.
Le silure est l’un des plus grands poissons d’eau douce d’Asie du Sud.
C2 verb /slʌf/ or /sluː/

slough

mue de peau / zone marécageuse
Meaning
To shed or cast off (like dead skin); also a swampy or muddy area.
Example
The snake sloughed off its old skin.
Le serpent s'est débarrassé de sa vieille peau.
C2 noun /ˈsɪlvər kɑrp/

Silver carp

carpe argentée
Meaning
a large freshwater fish with silvery scales, commonly farmed for food
Example
Silver carp is widely cultivated in fish farms across Asia.
La carpe argentée est largement cultivée dans les fermes piscicoles à travers l’Asie.
C2 noun /ˈsætræp/

satrap

satrape
Meaning
a governor of a province in ancient Persia; also used figuratively for a subordinate ruler
Example
The king appointed a satrap to oversee the distant province.
Le roi nomma un satrape pour superviser la province éloignée.
C2 noun /skæd/

scad

scad poisson
Meaning
A type of fish of the jack family; also informally means a large number or quantity.
Example
The fisherman caught a scad in the net.
Le pêcheur a attrapé un scad dans le filet.
C2 noun /sfɪˈrɒmɪtər/

spherometer

sphéromètre
Meaning
An instrument used for measuring the curvature of spherical surfaces.
Example
The scientist used a spherometer to measure the lens curvature.
Le scientifique a utilisé un sphéromètre pour mesurer la courbure de la lentille.
C2 verb /ˌsuːpərˈhiːt/

superheat

surchauffer
Meaning
to heat a substance beyond its normal boiling point without it becoming vapor
Example
Engineers superheat the steam to increase the efficiency of the turbine.
Les ingénieurs surchauffent la vapeur pour augmenter l'efficacité de la turbine.
C2 verb /ˌsuːpərɪnˈtɛnd/

superintend

superviser
Meaning
to oversee and direct the work or operation of something
Example
She was hired to superintend the construction project.
Elle a été engagée pour superviser le projet de construction.
C2 noun /sɪˈmɪlɪtjuːd/

Similitude

similitude; ressemblance
Meaning
the quality or state of being similar; resemblance
Example
The similitude between the two paintings suggested they were by the same artist.
La similitude entre les deux peintures a suggéré qu'elles avaient été réalisées par le même artiste.
C2 noun /ˌsɒ̃ˈfrwɑː/

sangfroid

sang-froid
Meaning
Composure or coolness under pressure.
Example
She impressed everyone with her sangfroid during the interview.
Elle a impressionné tout le monde par son sang-froid pendant l'entretien.
C2 verb /ˈstʌltɪfaɪ/

stultify

rendre quelqu'un ou quelque chose stupide ou nuire à l'efficacité et à l'enthousiasme
Meaning
to make someone or something appear foolish, or to hinder effectiveness and enthusiasm
Example
The repetitive tasks seemed to stultify the workers' creativity.
Les tâches répétitives semblaient rendre les travailleurs moins créatifs.
C2 noun /ˈsuːθˌseɪər/

soothsayer

devin
Meaning
a person who claims to predict the future
Example
The king consulted a soothsayer before going to war.
Le roi a consulté un devin avant d'aller à la guerre.
C2 adjective /ˈsiːmli/

seemly

approprié
Meaning
proper or appropriate in behavior or appearance
Example
It was not seemly to argue loudly during the ceremony.
Il n'était pas approprié de discuter bruyamment pendant la cérémonie.
C2 adjective /ˈspaɪnəs/

spinous

épineux
Meaning
Having spines or thorn-like projections
Example
The spinous cactus was difficult to handle without gloves.
Le cactus épineux était difficile à manipuler sans gants.
C2 adjective /stəˈkɑː.təʊ/

staccato

détaché
Meaning
short and detached in sound or style, often used in music
Example
The pianist played the notes in a staccato rhythm.
Le pianiste a joué les notes dans un rythme détaché.
C2 verb /skʌlk/

skulk

se faufiler
Meaning
to move or hide secretly, often because you are planning something bad or are feeling guilty
Example
He tried to skulk in the shadows to avoid being seen.
Il a essayé de se faufiler dans l'ombre pour éviter d'être vu.
C2 adjective /spraɪ/

spry

dynamique
Meaning
active and lively, especially in old age
Example
The spry grandmother surprised everyone with her quick dance steps.
La grand-mère dynamique a surpris tout le monde avec ses pas de danse rapides.
C2 adjective /sɪˈbeɪʃəs/

sebaceous

relatif au sébum
Meaning
Relating to or secreting sebum, an oily substance from the skin.
Example
Acne is often caused by overactive sebaceous glands.
L'acné est souvent causée par des glandes sébacées hyperactives.
C2 noun /ˈsɪŋkrəˌnɪzəm/

synchronism

synchronisme
Meaning
The simultaneous occurrence of events or actions.
Example
The synchronism of the dancers' movements amazed the audience.
Le synchronisme des mouvements des danseurs a émerveillé le public.
C2 noun /ˈsʌfərəns/

sufferance

tolérance
Meaning
patient endurance of pain, hardship, or delay; passive consent or tolerance
Example
He lived in poverty with quiet sufferance.
Il vivait dans la pauvreté avec une tolérance silencieuse.
C2 adjective /ˈslæp.dæʃ/

slapdash

fait à la va-vite
Meaning
done too quickly and carelessly; hasty and careless
Example
The report was written in a slapdash manner, full of errors.
Le rapport a été rédigé à la va-vite, plein d'erreurs.
C2 verb /ˈsɪmpər/

simper

sourire de manière stupide ou affectée
Meaning
to smile in a silly, self-conscious, or affected way
Example
She simpered at his compliment, clearly embarrassed.
Elle souriait d'une manière stupide à son compliment, clairement embarrassée.
C2 noun /ˈsɔː.dər/

Sawder

flatterie; discours flatteur
Meaning
flattering or wheedling talk; soft soap
Example
His sawder couldn't convince anyone of his sincerity.
Sa flatterie n'a pas pu convaincre qui que ce soit de sa sincérité.
C2 noun /ˈspuːnərɪzəm/

spoonerism

spounérisme
Meaning
A verbal error in which the initial sounds of words are swapped to create a humorous effect.
Example
He made a spoonerism by saying 'queer old dean' instead of 'dear old queen'.
Il a fait un spounérisme en disant 'vieux doyen bizarre' au lieu de 'vieille reine chère'.
C2 adjective /ˈsɪbɪlaɪn/

sibylline

sibyllin
Meaning
Prophetic, mysterious, or cryptic in meaning.
Example
The old woman gave a sibylline warning about the future.
La vieille femme a donné un avertissement sibyllin sur l'avenir.
C2 verb /skwɛltʃ/

squelch

faire un bruit mou, comme marcher dans la boue; réprimer ou faire taire
Meaning
to make a soft sucking sound, such as when walking on mud; to suppress or silence
Example
His boots squelched in the wet ground.
Ses bottes faisaient un bruit de squelch sur le sol mouillé.
C2 adjective /saɪˈdɪəriəl/

sidereal

sidéral
Meaning
Relating to the stars or constellations; measured relative to the stars.
Example
Astronomers use sidereal time to track the positions of stars.
Les astronomes utilisent le temps sidéral pour suivre les positions des étoiles.
C2 noun /səbˈmɜːrʒən/

submersion

submersion
Meaning
the state of being under water
Example
The submersion of the fields lasted for several days after the heavy rain.
La submersion des champs a duré plusieurs jours après la forte pluie.
C2 verb /sɛkˈstuːpəl/

sextuple

sextupler
Meaning
to make or become six times as great or as many
Example
Within two quarters, the campaign sextupled their daily sign-ups.
En deux trimestres, la campagne a sextuplé leurs inscriptions quotidiennes.
C2 noun /ʃiːf/

sheaf

gerbe de blé
Meaning
a bundle of grain stalks laid lengthwise and tied together after reaping; a bundle of objects tied together
Example
The farmer carried a sheaf of wheat on his shoulder.
Le fermier portait une gerbe de blé sur son épaule.
C2 verb /ˈsnɪvəl/

snivel

pleurer ou se plaindre d'une manière faible ou agaçante
Meaning
to cry or complain in a weak or annoying way
Example
He began to snivel when he didn’t get his way.
Il a commencé à pleurer quand il n'a pas obtenu ce qu'il voulait.
C2 verb /ˈstjuːpɪˌfaɪ/

stupefy

stupéfier
Meaning
to make someone unable to think clearly, usually because of surprise or shock
Example
The magician's tricks stupefied the audience.
Les tours du magicien ont stupéfié le public.
C2 adjective /ˈsiːmi/

seamy

dégradé, sordide
Meaning
Morally degraded, unpleasant, or sordid.
Example
The novel reveals the seamy side of city life.
Le roman révèle le côté sordide de la vie en ville.
C2 noun /ˈsaɪ.ə.lɪz.əm/

sciolism

prétention de savoir superficiel
Meaning
pretentious show of superficial knowledge
Example
His speech was full of sciolism, impressing no one.
Son discours était rempli de sciolisme, sans impressionner personne.
C2 noun /sɜːrˈsiːs/

surcease

cessation
Meaning
a temporary or final ending or stopping of something
Example
The noise finally came to a surcease after midnight.
Le bruit a finalement cessé après minuit.
C2 noun /ˈspɛndˌθrɪft/

spendthrift

dépensier
Meaning
A person who spends money extravagantly or wastefully.
Example
The young prince was known as a spendthrift, wasting his fortune on lavish parties.
Le jeune prince était connu comme un dépensier, gaspillant sa fortune dans des fêtes somptueuses.
C2 verb /ˌsuːpərˈæn.ju.eɪt/

superannuate

retirer avec pension
Meaning
to retire someone with a pension, usually due to age or long service
Example
The company decided to superannuate its senior employees after thirty years of service.
L'entreprise a décidé de retirer avec pension ses employés seniors après trente ans de service.
C2 noun /ˈstætɪks/

statics

statique
Meaning
The branch of mechanics dealing with bodies at rest and forces in equilibrium.
Example
She is studying statics as part of her engineering course.
Elle étudie la statique dans le cadre de son cours d'ingénierie.
C2 adjective /splɪˈnɛtɪk/

splenetic

irritable, colérique
Meaning
bad-tempered, irritable, spiteful
Example
His splenetic remarks offended everyone in the room.
Ses remarques colériques ont offensé tout le monde dans la pièce.
C2 noun /ˈsiːkənt/

secant

sécante
Meaning
A straight line that intersects a curve at two or more points.
Example
In geometry, a secant cuts the circle at two distinct points.
En géométrie, une sécante coupe le cercle en deux points distincts.
C2 adjective /sɪˈnɒptɪk/

synoptic

synoptique
Meaning
giving a general overview or summary; presenting a broad view
Example
The report offers a synoptic view of climate trends over the past century.
Le rapport offre une vue synoptique des tendances climatiques du siècle dernier.
C2 adjective /ˈsɛrid/

serried

serré
Meaning
pressed or crowded together, often in rows or ranks
Example
The soldiers stood in serried ranks, ready for inspection.
Les soldats étaient en rangs serrés, prêts pour l'inspection.
C2 adjective /ˈsteɪ.dʒi/

stagy

trop théâtral
Meaning
Overly theatrical, artificial, or exaggerated in manner or style.
Example
Her performance felt stagy and unnatural.
Sa performance semblait trop théâtrale et artificielle.
C2 noun /ˈʃaɪstər/

shyster

escroc
Meaning
a person, especially a lawyer, who uses unscrupulous or dishonest methods
Example
The businessman was exposed as a shyster who cheated clients.
L'homme d'affaires a été exposé comme un escroc qui trompait les clients.
C2 verb /ˈsɪn.tɪ.leɪt/

scintillate

scintiller
Meaning
to sparkle or shine brightly; to emit flashes of light
Example
The diamond ring scintillated under the bright lights.
La bague en diamant scintillait sous les lumières brillantes.
C2 adjective /sʌbˈdʒeɪsənt/

subjacent

sous-jacent
Meaning
lying immediately beneath; underlying
Example
The geological survey revealed subjacent layers of rock.
L'enquête géologique a révélé des couches sous-jacentes de roche.
C2 noun /ˈsɜːrfɪt/

surfeit

excès
Meaning
an excessive amount of something
Example
There was a surfeit of food at the festival.
Il y avait un excès de nourriture au festival.
C2 noun /ˈsɛm.ɪ.nɛr.i/

seminary

séminaire
Meaning
A school or college for training priests, ministers, or rabbis.
Example
He decided to enroll in a seminary to study theology.
Il a décidé de s'inscrire dans un séminaire pour étudier la théologie.
C2 noun /ˌsuːpərɪnˈtɛndəns/

superintendence

supervision
Meaning
the act of overseeing, supervising, or managing
Example
The superintendence of the school is the principal’s duty.
La supervision de l'école est le devoir du principal.
C2 adjective /sɒmˈnɪfərəs/

somniferous

somnifère
Meaning
Tending to induce sleep; soporific.
Example
The professor's somniferous lecture put half the class to sleep.
Le cours somnifère du professeur a endormi la moitié de la classe.
C2 noun /sɑːrˈkɒfəɡəs/

sarcophagus

cercueil en pierre
Meaning
A stone coffin, often decorated, used in ancient times.
Example
The museum displayed a beautifully carved sarcophagus from ancient Egypt.
Le musée a exposé un cercueil en pierre magnifiquement sculpté de l'Égypte ancienne.
C2 noun ˈsɒmnələns

somnolence

somnolence
Meaning
A state of drowsiness or sleepiness; inclination to sleep.
Example
The somnolence after a heavy meal made it hard to concentrate.
La somnolence après un repas copieux a rendu difficile la concentration.
C2 adjective /səˈɡeɪ.ʃəs/

sagacious

sage
Meaning
Having or showing keen mental discernment and good judgment; wise.
Example
His sagacious leadership saved the company from failure.
Sa direction sage a sauvé l'entreprise de l'échec.
C2 adjective /ˈstraɪ.eɪ.tɪd/

striated

striée
Meaning
marked with thin lines, grooves, or stripes
Example
The muscle fibers appeared striated under the microscope.
Les fibres musculaires apparaissaient striées sous le microscope.
C2 noun /sʌnd raɪs/

Sunned rice

riz séché au soleil
Meaning
Rice that has been dried in the sun; parched rice
Example
The farmers spread the sunned rice on mats to dry completely.
Les agriculteurs ont étendu le riz séché au soleil sur des nattes pour le sécher complètement.
C2 noun /səˈlɪsɪˌtuːd/

solicitude

préoccupation, soin
Meaning
Care or concern for someone or something.
Example
His mother showed great solicitude for his safety.
Sa mère a montré une grande préoccupation pour sa sécurité.
C2 noun /ˈseɪnjər/

seignior

seigneur féodal
Meaning
A feudal lord; a man of authority in medieval Europe.
Example
The seignior demanded taxes from the peasants.
Le seigneur féodal a exigé des taxes des paysans.
C2 verb /swɪl/

swill

boire goulûment
Meaning
to drink something greedily or in large amounts
Example
He swilled down the beer in seconds.
Il a bu la bière en quelques secondes.
C2 adjective /sɛnˈtɛnʃəs/

sententious

moraliste; qui donne des leçons
Meaning
Given to moralizing in a pompous or affected manner.
Example
His sententious remarks annoyed the audience.
Ses remarques moralisatrices ont agacé le public.
C2 noun /ˈspɒt.ɪd sneɪk hed/

Spotted snake head

poisson tête de serpent tachetée
Meaning
a type of freshwater fish with spotted markings and an elongated head resembling a snake
Example
The spotted snake head is a popular fish for aquaculture in South Asia.
Le poisson tête de serpent tachetée est populaire pour l'aquaculture en Asie du Sud.
C2 adjective /ˈswɔːrði/

swarthy

bronzé
Meaning
Having a dark complexion or skin tone.
Example
The sailor had a swarthy face from years under the sun.
Le marin avait le visage bronzé après des années sous le soleil.
C2 noun /ˈskʌl.i.ən/

scullion

valet de cuisine
Meaning
a servant assigned the most menial kitchen tasks
Example
In medieval times, a scullion was responsible for cleaning pots and pans.
Au Moyen Âge, un scullion était responsable du nettoyage des casseroles et des poêles.
C2 adjective /ˈskʌr.ɪ.ləs/

scurrilous

calomnieux
Meaning
Using or expressed in coarse, abusive, or slanderous language.
Example
The politician faced criticism for his scurrilous remarks about his opponent.
Le politicien a fait face à des critiques pour ses remarques calomnieuses sur son adversaire.
C2 noun /ˈskɪz.əm/ or /ˈsɪz.əm/

schism

bonheur
Meaning
A division or split between strongly opposed parties, often in religion or organizations.
Example
The schism in the church led to the formation of two separate groups.
Elle n'a pas pu cacher son bonheur lorsqu'elle a reçu le prix.
C2 adjective /ˈsʌpliənt/

suppliant

suppliant
Meaning
Humbly or earnestly asking for something, especially from a person in authority.
Example
The suppliant man begged for mercy at the king's feet.
L'homme suppliant a supplié pour miséricorde aux pieds du roi.
C2 noun /ˌʃæŋɡriˈlɑː/

shangri-la

paradis imaginaire
Meaning
a remote, beautiful, imaginary place where life is perfect and peaceful
Example
They described the island as a modern-day Shangri-La.
Ils ont décrit l'île comme un Shangri-La moderne.
C2 noun /ˌself əˈbeɪs.mənt/

self-abasement

auto-humiliation
Meaning
The act of belittling or humiliating oneself.
Example
His constant self-abasement made others uncomfortable.
Son auto-humiliation constante mettait les autres mal à l'aise.
C2 noun /ˈʃɑːdənfrɔɪdə/

schadenfreude

plaisir dérivé du malheur d'autrui
Meaning
pleasure derived from another person's misfortune
Example
He felt a sense of schadenfreude when his rival failed.
Il a ressenti un sentiment de schadenfreude lorsque son rival a échoué.
C2 noun /slaɪt/

sleight

habileté
Meaning
Skill or dexterity, especially in performing tricks.
Example
The magician amazed the crowd with his sleight of hand.
Le magicien a étonné la foule avec son habileté des mains.
C2 noun /ˈseɪpiəns/

sapience

sagesse
Meaning
Wisdom or intelligence.
Example
Her sapience in solving problems earned her the respect of her colleagues.
Sa sagesse dans la résolution de problèmes lui a valu le respect de ses collègues.
C2 adjective /ˈʃɪft.ləs/

shiftless

paresseux
Meaning
Lacking ambition or the ability to accomplish anything; lazy and unmotivated.
Example
He was seen as a shiftless young man with no goals.
Il a été vu comme un jeune homme paresseux sans objectifs.
C2 adjective /sɪˈdɪʃəs/

seditious

séditieux
Meaning
Encouraging rebellion against authority.
Example
The activist spread seditious pamphlets among the crowd.
L'activiste a distribué des tracts séditieux parmi la foule.
C2 adjective /ˈsɪŋkəˌpeɪtɪd/

syncopated

syncopé
Meaning
Characterized by displaced beats or rhythms, especially in music.
Example
The jazz piece had a syncopated rhythm that energized the crowd.
Le morceau de jazz avait un rythme syncopé qui a énergisé la foule.
C2 noun /ˈsɪʒ.ən/

scission

scission
Meaning
the act of cutting or dividing something
Example
The political party suffered a scission over ideological disputes.
Le parti politique a subi une scission en raison de différends idéologiques.
C2 noun /ˈsaɪnɪkjʊər/

sinecure

emploi facile
Meaning
a position requiring little or no work but giving financial benefit or status
Example
He was given a sinecure at the university as a reward for his loyalty.
Il a obtenu un emploi facile à l'université en récompense de sa loyauté.
C2 noun /ˌsɪɡnɪfɪˈkeɪʃən/

signification

signification
Meaning
the meaning or sense conveyed by a word, action, or symbol
Example
The signification of the gesture was misunderstood.
La signification du geste a été mal comprise.
C2 adjective /ˈseɪpiənt/

sapient

sage
Meaning
Wise, or appearing to be wise.
Example
The professor gave a sapient response to the complex question.
Le professeur a donné une réponse sage à la question complexe.
C2 noun /ˈsælvər/

salver

plateau en argent
Meaning
A tray, typically made of silver, used for serving food or drinks.
Example
The butler brought in the tea on a silver salver.
Le majordome a apporté le thé sur un plateau en argent.
C2 noun /ˈstrɪndʒənsi/

stringency

rigueur
Meaning
the quality of being strict, precise, or severe
Example
The stringency of the new rules surprised everyone.
La rigueur des nouvelles règles a surpris tout le monde.
C2 noun /ˈsweɪʒən/

suasion

persuasion
Meaning
the act of persuading or influencing someone
Example
The leader used gentle suasion to win support for the plan.
Le leader a utilisé une suasion douce pour obtenir le soutien pour le plan.
C2 adjective /sɪˈlæbɪk/

syllabic

syllabique
Meaning
Relating to or based on syllables.
Example
The teacher explained the syllabic structure of the word.
Le professeur a expliqué la structure syllabique du mot.
C2 noun /ˈsɪŋ.krə.ni/

synchrony

synchronie
Meaning
Coordination in time, harmony in action or movement.
Example
Their dance performance showed perfect synchrony.
Leurs performances de danse ont montré une synchronie parfaite.
C2 noun /ˈslæt.ən/

slattern

femme négligée
Meaning
a woman who is untidy or slovenly in appearance or habits
Example
The house looked as if a slattern lived there.
La maison avait l'air d'avoir une femme négligée qui y vivait.
C2 adjective /səˈræfɪk/

seraphic

angélique
Meaning
Of or like a seraph; angelic, pure, and blissful.
Example
She gave him a seraphic smile that calmed his fears.
Elle lui donna un sourire angélique qui calma ses peurs.
C2 noun /ˈsɒfɪzəm/

sophism

sophisme
Meaning
a clever but misleading argument; fallacious reasoning
Example
The politician's speech was full of sophism designed to mislead voters.
Le discours du politicien était plein de sophisme conçu pour tromper les électeurs.
C2 noun /ˈsɛnʃəns/

sentience

sensibilité
Meaning
The capacity to feel, perceive, or experience subjectively.
Example
Many argue that animals possess sentience.
Beaucoup soutiennent que les animaux possèdent la sensibilité.
C2 adjective /sɪər/

sere

sec
Meaning
Dry or withered, especially vegetation.
Example
The sere leaves crumbled under his feet.
Les feuilles sèches se sont effritées sous ses pieds.
C2 noun ˌsʌb.dʒʊˈɡeɪ.ʃən

subjugation

soumission ou domination
Meaning
The action of bringing someone or something under domination or control, especially by force.
Example
The subjugation of weaker nations by colonial powers shaped history.
La soumission des nations plus faibles par les puissances coloniales a façonné l'histoire.
C2 verb /səˈfjuːz/

suffuse

envahir
Meaning
to gradually spread through or over something
Example
A warm glow suffused her face as she smiled.
Une lueur chaude envahit son visage lorsqu'elle sourit.
C2 verb /ˈseɪʃiˌeɪt/

satiate

satisfaire
Meaning
To satisfy fully, especially with food or desire.
Example
The large meal satiated his hunger.
Le grand repas a satisfait sa faim.
C2 adjective səˈluː.bri.əs

salubrious

salubre
Meaning
Health-giving; healthy; promoting health and well-being.
Example
The mountain air is salubrious and refreshing.
L'air de la montagne est salubre et rafraîchissant.
C2 noun /ˌsuː.pər.əˈbʌn.dəns/

superabundance

superabondance
Meaning
An excessive or overflowing amount of something.
Example
The garden was filled with a superabundance of flowers.
Le jardin était rempli d'une superabondance de fleurs.
C2 adjective /ˈsɪbɪlənt/

sibilant

avec un son sifflant
Meaning
Making or characterized by a hissing sound.
Example
The word 'snake' starts with a sibilant sound.
Le mot 'snake' commence par un son sifflant.